Newcastle University
Delicate
wash cycles in washing machines found to release more plastic microfibres than
other cycles.
New
research led by Newcastle University has shown that it is the volume of water
used during the wash cycle, rather than the spinning action of the washing
machine, which is the key factor in the release of plastic microfibres from
clothes.
Millions
of plastic microfibres are shed every time we wash clothes that contain
materials such as nylon, polyester and acrylic.
Because
these fibres are so small, they drain out of our washing machines and can
ultimately enter the marine environment.
Once
in the ocean, they are ingested by the animals living there and two years ago
Newcastle University scientists showed for the first time these fibres have now
reached the deepest parts of our ocean.
Working
with Procter & Gamble in Newcastle, the team measured the release of
plastic microfibres from polyester clothing for a range of cycles and water
volumes.
Counting
the fibres released, the team found the higher the volume of water the more
fibres released, regardless of the speed and abrasive forces of the washing
machine.
In
fact, they found that on average, 800,000 more fibres were released in a
delicate wash than a standard cycle.
Publishing their findings in the academic journal Environmental Science and Technology, PhD student Max Kelly, who led the research, explained:
"Counterintuitively,
we discovered that 'delicate' cycles release more plastic microfibres into the
water, and then the environment, than standard cycles.
"Previous
research has suggested the speed the drum spins at, the number of times it
changes spinning direction during a cycle and the length of pauses in the cycle
-- all known as the machine agitation -- is the most important factor in the
amount of microfibre released.
"But
we have shown here that even at reduced levels of agitation, microfibre release
is still greatest with higher water-volume-to-fabric ratios.
"This
is because the high volume of water used in a delicate cycle which is supposed
to protect sensitive clothing from damage actually 'plucks' away more fibres
from the material."
Plastic
pollution in our oceans
Plastic
pollution is one of the biggest challenges facing society today and
understanding the key sources is an important process to help reduce our impact
on the environment.
Laundry
has been recognised as a major contributor of microplastics but until now,
precisely measuring the release of these fibres has been difficult due to the
fact that it's almost impossible to accurately simulate the reality of what
happens in people's machines in a lab setting.
Using
a tergotometer -- a benchtop device comprising of eight (1000 mL) washing
vessels that simulate full-scale domestic washing, the team were able to carry
out tests under different conditions, making changes to water volume, spin
speed, temperature and time.
A
DigiEye camera -- digital colour imaging system -- was then used to accurately
calculate the amount of microfibres released.
To
test whether the observations made using the tergotometers were reflective of
full-size domestic washing machines, the team then tested the fabrics on a
delicate wash cycle using identical washing machines in the test centre at
Procter and Gamble (P&G).
The
team showed that previous recommendations by groups to move towards high water
volumes and low levels of agitation as a way of reducing the amount of
microfibre released was actually making the problem worse.
Neil
Lant, Research Fellow at P&G and co-author on the study, said:
"The
appliance industry has started to introduce microfibre filters in some new
washing machines and the textile industry is looking to reduce the fibre
shedding levels of new clothing.
"We
hope that the issue will ultimately be solved by such actions, and our work on
the mechanistic causes will help in the development of these solutions."
Max
Kelly adds:
"Reducing
the amount of plastic pollution is everyone's responsibility and often it's the
small changes that make a huge difference.
"By
avoiding high water-volume-to-fabric washes such as the delicate cycles and
ensuring full wash loads then we can all do our bit to help reduce the amount
of these synthetic fibres being released into the environment.
"Hopefully,
these findings may also be used by manufacturers to influence the design of
future washing machines and reduce our plastic footprint. Over time these
changes could also see a global reduction in the amount of energy and water
required to wash our clothes."
